Manufacture of metal bars, rails, &amp;c.



T. A. DIGKS. MANUFACTURE OF METAL BARS, RAILS, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOFI Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

T. A. DICKS. MANUFACTURE OF METAL BARS,

APPLICATION FILED AUG.1,

RAILS, 6m.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

T 2 SHEETS-SHEETZ.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. DICKS, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TOFRANK P. LAUFFER, OF IRWIN, PENNSYLVANIA;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

Application filed August 1, 1912. Serial No. 712,821.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs A. Dream, a resident of \Vilkinsburg,Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new andusefulImprovement in the Manufacture of Metal Bars, Rails, &c., of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich Figures 1, 2, 3 and 3 are views, largely diagrammatic,illustrating different steps in my improved method, and hereinafter morefully described; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views of parts of theapparatus which may be employed in carrying out the method; Fig. 7 is aside view, partly in section, of one form of mold which may be employed;and Fig. 8 is a front view partly broken away of the same.

My invention has relation to the manufacture of elongated metalarticles, such as rails, bars, and the like. In the manufacture ofarticles of this character by the usual open hearth process, in whichthe metal is first cast into an ingot and then rolled down, it is, as iswell known, very diflicult to obtain uniformity of metal due to piping,etc., in the ingot. have been made to overcome this difficulty, but theyhave not been entirely successful.

My invention is designed to provide a method by means of which railwayrails, bars, and other elongated metal objects can be manufactured in amanner to insure uniformity of structure throughout their length andsection, the possibility of blow holes and defective spots beingeliminated.

To this end my invention consists in the method of manufacture, whichconsists in first casting an annular ingot in a rotating centrifugalmold, subsequently cutting this annular ingot, straightening it out, andthen roll-finishing it. This roll-finishing may be accompanied with anydesired degree of reduction and elongation of the metal, and may becarried out either by reheating, either before or after straightening;or in some cases it can be carried out from the original heat, the ingotbeing removed from {)he centrifugal mold while still at a red eat.

In carrying out my invention, any suitable apparatus may be employed. Inthe Many attempts accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a suitableapparatus for this purpose, which I'will now describe, it beingpremised, however, that the apparatus shown is clearly illustrative andthat my invention is not confined to the use thereof.

In these drawings, the numeral 2 designates a circular mold body,mounted upon a rotating shaft 3 supported in suitable bearings 4 anddriven from any suitable source of power. The rotating mold body 2 isprovided with a seat in which is detachably secured a mold ring 5.

6 designates a face plate, which is adapted to be detachably secured tothe open side of the mold body 2, and mold ring 5. For this purpose Ihave shown the mold body as having the bolts 7 arranged to fit openingsin the face plate and having slots at their outer ends to receivesuitable keys 8.

9 designates a pouring receptacle, which I have shown as mounted upon acarriage.

10, the latter being in turn mounted upon a truck 11, the carriage 10and truck 11 being mounted to travel at right angles to each other. Thereceptacle 9 has a pouring nozzle 12 arranged to discharge metal intothe cavity of the mold ring, while the latter is being rotated. 13 is arefractory stopper for the pouring nozzle. 14 designates a plurality ofnon-radial vent openings for venting the mold cavity of the mold ring.

As the metal is poured into the revolving mold, it is thrown outwardlyby centrifugal force, and forms a dense uniform annular casting, whichmav be of any desired crosssection. After the ingot has been cast inthis manner, the truck 11 and carriage 10 are moved out of the way andthe face plate 6 is removed. This may be accomplished in any suitablemanner. For this purpose I have shown a spider 15 (see Figs.

and 6), which is mounted on an endwise movable and rotatable shaft 15,the whole being carried by a suitable truck 16. After the pouringreceptacle 9 has been removed in the manner described, the spider 15 isbrought up to the mold and is advanced and rotated into engagement withthe lugs 17 on the face plate. The securing keys having been removedfrom the bolts 7, the spider can now be retracted and bring with it theface plate.

The next step is the removal of the annular ingot A from the mold ring.This also may be accomplished in Various ways. In Figs. 2 and at I haveshown a toggle arm device 18, the radial to gle members of Which areprovided at their outer ends with grips 19 adapted to engage the innerperiphery of the ingot. The device is provided with the crane attachment20, and the lifting action of the crane will spread the togglemembers tocause the grips to securely engage the ingot and permit it to beremoved.

The-next step is the severing of the ingot at one or more points. Itwill usually be severed at one point, preferably by means of a hot sawsuch as shown at 21 in Fig. 2. It is then taken to the straighteningrolls 22 (see Fig. 3), and is straightened out into bar form. It is theneither carried directly to the finishing rolls 23, or it may be reheatedintermediate the, straightening rolls and finishing rolls.

The finishing rolls may be of the proper character to give any desiredreduction in cross-section-to the ingot bar. If, for instance, the baris to be finished into rails, the rolls will be given the appropriatepasses for this purpose.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart.

The superior density and uniformity of the small castings which haveheretofore been produced in centrifugal molds is well known.

My invention makes use of a centrifugal mold in the manufacture ofrelatively large annular ingots, which are subsequently cut,straightened and roll finished.

What I claim is The herein described method of manufacturing metalbars,'rails, and the like, having a high degree of uniformity of densityof the metal thereof, which consists in casting an annular ingot ofrollable dimensions in a rotating centrifugal mold, and then, withoutany substantial change in the cross-section of the ingot, straighteningit and submitting it to rolling in suitable rolls to thereby reduce andfinish it to final form; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' THOMAS A. DICKS. Witnesses:

R. A. BALDERSON, H. M. CORWIN.

